Intelligent lighting systems combine solid-state light sources, embedded sensors and controls, and low-cost pervasive networking to create an integrated illumination system which is highly responsive to its environment. Benefits of some or all such systems may include, but are not limited to, a much higher quality of light tailored specifically to user needs and significant energy savings, compared to legacy lighting system technologies.
In many environments illuminated by artificial light, significant amounts of ambient daylight may be present at certain times of the day. When sufficient levels of ambient light are present, intelligent lighting systems may reduce the amount of artificial light delivered in order to maintain consistent environmental lighting conditions and to save energy. The process of changing the amount of light emitted by a fixture in response to changes in ambient lighting conditions is known as “daylight harvesting.”
Conventional lighting fixtures are typically arranged in groups, each of which is on a single circuit. When a detector (or a person) senses that the ambient light level has risen above a predetermined threshold in a given part of the warehouse, the sensor (or person) triggers a switch that turns off an entire circuit. Similarly, if the ambient light level falls below a predetermined threshold, the circuit may be turned on to provide additional light.